It’s the most wonderful time of year, but that can change very easily if you become a victim of a holiday fire. Read these fire prevention tips and take the correct precautions to avoid a fire in your home this holiday season.
- Cooking Safety. An essential part of the holiday season is the food. However, according to the National Fire Protection Association, the holidays are the peak time for cooking fires as well. FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) states that the majority of fires occurring in the kitchen are the result of unattended cooking.
Someone should always stay in the room with the food when you are frying, grilling or using the stovetop. Never leave heat sources unattended. Keep flammable objects like oven mitts and kitchen towels away from the stovetop.
- Decorations and Outlet Usage. During the holidays it’s a tradition for many of us to decorate. Just make sure your lights and other electronic decorations that have been stored away for most of the year are still in proper working order. Avoid using decorations that have frayed cords or overheat easily. Don’t overload outlets with extension cords and powers strips. Be sure to unplug or turn off lights when no one is home.
Other decorations can be a fire hazard too. Real Christmas trees need to be kept well-watered. A dried out tree is incredibly flammable. Should it catch, it could turn into a full blaze in just seconds.
Don’t believe us? Watch this live tree burn conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Candle Safety. There’s nothing like walking into a room that smells and looks like the holidays. However, open flames need to be monitored and cared for. Keep flammable objects like curtains and decorations at a safe distance away from candles. Don’t leave lit candles unsupervised.
Please keep these tips in mind and don’t let a fire ruin what is meant to be a joyful time with family and friends. Feel free to share this blog post with your loved ones and remind them, too, the importance of holiday fire prevention.
No matter how careful you are, there is always a possibility that you could experience a fire or other devastating home loss. We implore you to have a homeowners insurance policy with the proper coverages and adequate limits. As a family-owned, independent insurance agency, we specialize in these types of insurance strategies.
Get a free homeowners insurance quote here.